Volkswagen Chooses An Interesting Name for Its New Chinese Brand

China’s all about electric automobiles and clear, inexperienced every thing, or so the tankies granola varieties declare, and automakers from Detroit to Germany can’t wait to get their palms on a bit of that market. In Volkswagen’s case, China’s thirst for EVs spawned a model new model.

Sadly, as is usually the case with language, the identify of VW’s EV-targeted model might imply one thing very dangerous, relying on who reads it.

SOL.

A three way partnership between VW and Chinese companion JAC, the SOL model happened after China rejected using the Seat model identify in its market, Automotive Information China reports. The German automaker then requested if “Xiyate” (Seat in Chinese) was okay. Apparently, it was not.

Because the report exhibits, the primary SOL-branded vehicle is a small, 4-door crossover festooned with blue accents — a not-so delicate trace on the vehicle’s electric powerplant. It’s additionally not a Volkswagen in any sense; fairly, it’s a rebadged JAC mannequin. This specific SOL supposedly generates 114 horsepower and attains a prime velocity of one hundred thirty km/h (roughly eighty mph).

However again to that identify, which seems in all caps. Sol, as many know, is Spanish for “solar.” Provided that Seat is a Spanish model, the inspiration for the identify appears apparent. A solar rises, very similar to this model, and it additionally generates electrical energy, which this car makes use of. The solar is a cheerful factor that makes crops develop. Sol can also be a model of Mexican beer and the identify of a well-known French Canadian clown. Nevertheless, should you’re hip to the lingo lately, SOL is the acronym for “Shit Outta Luck.”

This writer is reminded of previous naming goofs, such because the Latin American-market Chevrolet Nova and the Canadian-market Buick LaCrosse. Within the former case, “no va” interprets into “doesn’t go,” although the story gained prominence via an city legend, not an actual-world PR disaster. GM was apparently conscious of the coincidence and didn’t care. It wasn’t okay with promoting the primary-era LaCrosse in Canada, nevertheless, because the mannequin’s identify means “masturbation” in Quebecois slang. The Buick Attract debuted in Canada as an alternative. (As of the present era, the LaCrosse identify has returned to Buick’s full-sizer within the Nice White North.)

Whether or not or not VW or JAC brass was conscious of this connection is unknown, although it’s potential they have been and felt it simply wasn’t an enormous deal. Volkswagen goals to construct forty electric fashions in China, spurred by the funding of $12 billion over seven years. Many of those fashions could have their roots in borrowed or devoted Chinese structure. Others, nevertheless, will borrow the MEB platform destined for the U.S. within the type of the I.D., I.D. Crozz, I.D. Buzz, and I.D. Vizzion.

Talking of poor naming decisions…

[Image: Volkswagen]

– Volkswagen Chooses An Interesting Name for Its New Chinese Brand –

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